Malum In Se
by AquaTurquoise
Summary: Sofia and her friends and family face their biggest challenge yet when the Never Realm rises up and unleashes the most dangerous magic wielders in the world. It's going to take the help of everyone, including some unexpected allies, to defeat the Never Realm and its most supreme evil being: Malum In Se.
1. Reprehensible Realm

Malum In Se

Summary: Sofia and her friends and family face their biggest challenge yet when the Never Realm rises up and unleashes the most dangerous magic wielders in the world. It's going to take the help of everyone, including some unexpected allies, to defeat the Never Realm and its most supreme evil being: Malum In Se.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Sofia the First_. However, I do own the Never Realm, Malum In Se, and several other OCs in here. Nana belongs to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: Okay, guys. It's here… Probably one of the darkest and most dangerous stories I've ever written. And while you know that in my stories there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, we're going to take a really dark journey to get there. No one will be excluded from danger in this story, including the kids. You will see people you probably thought you'd never see again (from my stories, anyway). Some may surprise you. Some may not. Buckle up, because it's going to be a crazy ride!

* * *

Chapter 1: Reprehensible Realm

* * *

About a week after Cedric had returned from his Royal Sorcerer Meeting, on December 17, a blizzard hit Enchancia rather hard. In fact, it had gotten so bad that Roland had opened up the castle to the villagers so that they could stay safe during the hazardous weather. None of the staff who lived off the grounds could leave, even if they wanted to, because the snow had begun piling up in heavy, packed mounds around the area.

Air travel wasn't much better. Cedric's AutoCoach was useless in this storm, and he'd made sure to conceal it in his sealed-off tower until after the storm ended. All of the animals, including Minimus, were magically protected by a shield that Cordelia and Calista had created, so they were safe.

"This is insane," Jade remarked as she and Ruby stood next to Sofia, all of whom were staring out the window of the dining hall at the torrent of snow. "It's never gotten this bad in Enchancia."

Jade, now 18, had changed a great deal over the years. Her hair was now to her midback and swept back into a low ponytail, and she still wore her glasses. She had traded in her childhood blue dresses for a more muted cream and chocolate dress, which ended near her knees. She wore some wool stockings for the winter time and brown boots as well. She now worked with younger kids in the village, teaching them more about sports and how to be team players. In doing so, she herself had matured a great deal and had taken her own lessons to heart.

Ruby, also 18, looked very similar to her mother now, save for her hazel eyes and preference for a red bow to remain tied into her half-up/half-down hair, which now rested just below her shoulders. She wore a long-sleeved red top and brown skirt that reached to her ankles, and (like Jade) woolen stockings and brown boots. She was about two inches shorter than Jade, but they were both taller than Sofia. Ruby had taken over her mother's job as the troop leader for the Buttercups when Helen had retired, and she enjoyed it very much.

"It seemed to just come out of nowhere," Ruby added, frowning. "My mom doesn't think this is a normal storm."

Sofia gazed at her friend curiously. "What do you mean?"

"When she was training to be the leader of the Buttercups, she picked up a lot of knowledge about weather. She said Enchancia has seen storms before, but nothing _this_ bad. What's worse is that it seems to be centralized in this one spot: Enchancia. And it doesn't seem like it will be letting up any time soon."

The princess sighed as she folded her arms. "At least we're all here together, where no one can get hurt."

"Unless we run out of food and start taking out our frustrations on each other." Jade smirked as the other two gave her pointed looks. "Just saying."

Sofia glanced down as she felt a familiar tightening on her wrist where the Enchantlet lay. "I've got to go. I'll see you guys later." She turned and hurried out of the dining room, and she'd just started up the stairs toward her room when the Enchantlet activated. She frowned in concern as she saw Chrysta, Orion, and Vega all at once. "This can't be good."

Chrysta shook her head. "Right again, Sofia. We heard about the blizzard down there, so we know you won't be able to come here right now. And that's probably for the best."

"It's not exactly safe right now," Vega added solemnly.

The princess opened the door to her room, entering and shutting it behind her. She smiled as she saw Amber and Desmond playing with Nana on the bed, which was now scattered with toys and blankets. She smiled briefly before placing a finger to her lips, indicating the call. Seeing them nod, she looked back toward the trio of Protectors. "What do you guys know that I don't?"

"It isn't so much that you don't know this, Sofia," Orion informed her. "It's the extent of the seriousness of it all, I'm afraid." He cleared his throat. "We received a distress call about a massive disturbance from the Never Realm."

Amber gasped softly, though she calmed down when she noticed the alarmed look on Nana's face. "Shh, it's okay," she whispered, pulling the little girl into her arms. She glanced toward Desmond, who placed his hand on her shoulder for comfort.

Chrysta continued the conversation, "Negative energy and dark magic are beginning to make appearances across the globe, and several strange people have been seen throughout all the kingdoms and realms. These people are absorbing magic and killing both magical and non-magical people on the spot before vanishing."

"That's terrible!" Sofia gasped. "What can we do? I want to help you guys solve this problem, but I feel like it's impossible right now. Even the villagers have been temporarily moved in to the castle, and we had to create accommodations to fit them all, and… We can't even open any of the doors with the blizzard at this point."

"That might be a blessing in disguise," Orion informed her. "I know you mean well and would like to help, but it's far too dangerous right now. And we can clearly see and understand that you have a great deal on your shoulders."

"It's not that I don't _want_ to help, Mr. Orion… I do. I just don't know how."

Vega smiled knowingly. "We know that, Sofia. In fact, we _will_ need your help, but we're working on figuring out how to make that happen. However, just realize that solving this issue will be more difficult than you think. We will need a great deal of help (magic, energy, and strength) to take down the Never Realm when the time comes, and I'm afraid it's coming far sooner than we realized…"

"I'll… I'll talk to Mr. Cedric and the others here. We'll work on getting some people to help us out."

Orion frowned worriedly. "I admire your bravery and loyalty, Princess Sofia, but just be aware that this is a dangerous situation. You must not act out of anger or fear. You must have a clear mind and a strong will, because the threat is heading to Enchancia. You must be ready."

Sofia nodded slowly. "I… I understand. I'll talk to you guys later." She deactivated the Enchantlet and turned to face the other three.

"So, this is it, huh?" Amber shook her head. "The Never Realm… I've heard you and others talking a lot about it, including Daddy, and I know how serious this is…" She looked up toward her sister. "I know you have pulled off some real miracles before, Sofia, but I'm really worried about this one."

"I know, Amber." She walked over to her bed and sat down, smiling as Nana crawled over to her and sat in her lap, leaning against her. "We just need to stick together and not try anything stupid."

The blonde girl frowned at her sister. "Look in the mirror and tell yourself that, because _you're_ the one always putting yourself in danger for others."

"Amber, calm down." Desmond gently hugged his fiancée and kissed her cheek. "I think Sofia knows what she's doing. She probably even has a plan. Right, Sofia?" He glanced toward the younger princess, who seemed a bit distracted as she combed her fingers through Nana's hair. "Sofia?"

"Huh?" Sofia blinked before smiling nervously toward the prince. "R-Right. Sure." She shook her head with a soft sigh. "Okay, maybe not right now, but I'll come up with something."

"No." Amber reached out, grasping her sister's hand. "_We'll_ come up with something. We're in this with you now, dear sister. Don't shut us out."

The younger girl smiled warmly and nodded, gently squeezing Amber's hand. "I won't, Amber. I promise."

To be continued…

Next Chapter: A Sign of Weakness


	2. A Sign of Weakness

Malum In Se

Summary: Sofia and her friends and family face their biggest challenge yet when the Never Realm rises up and unleashes the most dangerous magic wielders in the world. It's going to take the help of everyone, including some unexpected allies, to defeat the Never Realm and its most supreme evil being: Malum In Se.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Sofia the First_. However, I do own the Never Realm, Malum In Se, and several other OCs in here. Nana belongs to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: You may have noticed that Cedric wasn't in the first chapter… There's a reason for that. You'll find out here!

* * *

Chapter 2: A Sign of Weakness

* * *

While Sofia was busy taking care of Nana and trying to determine a plausible method for helping the Protectors, Amber took it upon herself to make her way up to Cedric's workshop via the one section that hadn't been sealed off due to the weather. Corban had been unwell the last day or so, and Miranda had requested a healing tonic from the sorcerer, who'd agreed and indicated that it would take approximately a day to make.

Well, that day was over, and now the little boy desperately needed his medicine. He was running a fever and seemed to be absolutely miserable. Added to the awful weather, this was just one more issue to manage.

Amber approached the door slowly, her entire being shivering from the cold. "Should have brought a blanket or something," she mumbled as she reached one shaking hand out, knocking on the door before her. "Cedric?" Hearing no response, she frowned and opened the door, blinking at what she saw.

The sorcerer was slumped in his chair, his head in his hands.

"Cedric?" Amber walked over to him, gently reaching out and placing one hand on his shoulder. She frowned as he gasped and jumped, looking up at her with a startled expression. "Are you okay?"

"Princess Amber? What are you doing here?" He frowned as he shook his head. "Oh, right… Your little brother's potion. Er, it's on the worktable." He pointed toward the small green bottle with a cork on the top. "He should receive a spoonful two times a day, to be taken with food."

"Um, all right…" Amber walked to the table and grabbed the bottle before looking back at him. "You know, it's a lot warmer in the castle…"

"And far more crowded," he joked tiredly, causing the princess to giggle. "It is probably best if I stay here. All of my work is here anyway."

"If you say so, but you're welcome to stay in any of the guest rooms whenever you want. Or if those are full by now, I'm sure someone will let you stay with them." She smiled at him. "And thank you for doing this. Corban will feel better, thanks to you." To his utter surprise, she hugged him briefly before leaving the workshop, shutting the door behind her.

Cedric hummed thoughtfully before turning, resting his head on his desk, and closing his eyes.

* * *

After delivering the potion to Miranda and explaining the distribution directions, the blonde princess found Sofia walking down the stairs with Nana sitting on her shoulder. "Hey, you may want to go check on Cedric. He's acting weird."

"What do you mean, 'weird?'" Sofia asked in concern.

"He was jumpy and completely out of it when I went to get Corban's medicine. He seems really tired too, like he may not feel well. I don't know what's wrong with him, but…"

"I'm on it." Sofia smiled at her. "Thanks, Amber." Without another word, she took off toward the tower.

The future queen smiled before giggling softly. "So sweet." She then turned and headed upstairs.

* * *

Sofia pushed the door to the workshop open before walking over to Cedric, who had his head on his desk. She knelt next to him, reaching up and gently caressing his hair, smiling as she got his attention. "Amber told me you didn't seem to be feeling well. What's wrong?"

He groaned before sighing, slowly sitting up and turning to face her. "I've been feeling weak all day…"

Nana blinked before reaching out and trying to place her hand against his forehead to heal him, but she frowned as he carefully grasped her hand and shook his head.

"No, Nana," he told her softly as he gathered her into his arms, patting her back as she leaned against him. "I don't want you wasting your powers and stifling your own energy, especially at a time like this…"

"Let me try then." Sofia stood and took one of his hands while his other held Nana in place. She grasped her amulet with her free hand and closed her eyes, silently wishing for him to be healed of his weakness. She could feel the amulet reacting, and she felt a gentle surge of warmth pass from her hand into Cedric's, and she knew it had worked. She opened her eyes moments later, smiling happily as she saw a look of rejuvenation on her partner's face. "Feeling better?"

He nodded. "Thank you, Sofia…" Taking advantage of their linked hands, he pulled her toward him, initiating a hug and chuckling as she gladly accepted and returned his hug. "I'm not sure what caused me to become so weak today…"

"I have a theory." She knelt beside him again, gently playing with Nana's hair. "The Protectors called me earlier. The Never Realm is on the move. They've already attacked several kingdoms and hurt or killed many people." She frowned as she eyed him carefully. "And they're heading here…"

"Merlin's Mushrooms… I wasn't expecting it to be so soon." He sighed. "But I had a feeling it was coming. I even wonder if my weakness was a reaction to the negative energy from the Never Realm."

"It's possible."

He narrowed his eyes. "We'll need more help than usual if we're to defeat _this_ enemy, you know. It's not something you can just wish away with your amulet, unfortunately. It's going to take a great deal of magic and energy, and we alone can't stop it."

Sofia nodded. "Then let's get as many people as we can to help us out."

"Just one issue." He gestured out the window. "The blizzard?"

"We'll have to send out letters via magic then. Hopefully the blizzard will let up so they can make it here safely." She stood, pulling him to his feet. "Meanwhile, it's way too cold for you to stay here. I want you to come inside the castle."

"I doubt there's any room for me there."

She smiled. "Don't be silly. You can always stay with Nana and me." She giggled as the little girl clapped excitedly at the prospect. "James found extra blankets and pillows, so we can stay warm."

He frowned. "The entire kingdom of Enchancia is in the castle right now, correct?"

Sofia sighed and nodded. "Just about… Unless they were on a trip to another kingdom or something. It's bad out there, though."

Cedric shook his head. "I'm afraid it's going to get worse before it gets better, my dear. And if we're going to get some help, we'd better start sending out those letters as quickly as possible."

"As soon as we get to my room, we will." She pointed toward his worktable. "Make sure to get your wand and any clothing or whatever you need. Who knows how long this blizzard will last?"

"But Sofia—"

"No buts. Meet me downstairs when you finish packing." She turned and left the workshop, leaving the door open behind her.

Cedric placed a hand to his forehead. "This couldn't possibly get any worse."

CAW!

Wormwood lowered onto Cedric's shoulder, fluffing out his feathers. "There is not a single scrap of food left in this tower," he complained. "And I'm quite sure all my delectable snacks that would usually be outside are _frozen_ now." He glared at the sorcerer pointedly. "And what was that I heard about you moving into the castle for a while?"

"Where exactly _were_ you, Wormy?" Cedric asked, changing the subject.

"Up there." The raven gestured up to the top of the tower. "Staring out the window like a little boy who can't go outside to play because of the awful rain. But I'm a raven, and it's a massive blast of snow, and it's ruined my mood."

"I didn't think your mood could get any worse." Cedric smirked as the raven scoffed. "Anyway, I've got to hurry and pack. Sofia and Nana are waiting for me—er, us. Because you'll be moving into the castle now, too."

"Fantastic. Maybe I can sneak some good food from the kitchen." He grinned.

* * *

About ten minutes later after gathering necessary supplies and a bag of clothing and essentials, Cedric and Wormwood met up with Sofia and Nana, following them back into the castle.

Sofia opened the door to her room, beckoning Cedric inside and shutting the door behind them. She gestured around. "It's big enough, so if you want to conjure an extra bed or something, you can probably put it over there." She pointed toward a larger expanse of her room.

"I'm sorry," Wormwood laughed dryly. "We can't stay here. It's so far from the kitchen."

"I have news for you, Wormy," Cedric remarked sarcastically. "You _can_ fly."

Sofia smirked. "And you're always welcome to stay with Baileywick instead. I'm sure he'd _love_ your company."

"You two are just plain mean sometimes." The raven sulked as Nana reached out from Sofia's hold and patted his head. "The child is the only nice one in your weird, dysfunctional 'family.'"

The princess placed the little girl onto her bed, and she smiled as Wormwood flew from Cedric's shoulder to sit beside her. She then turned to Cedric as he placed his things onto the floor. "We really need to get a start on those letters now."

He nodded, withdrawing his wand. "Right."

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Taking a Toll


	3. Taking a Toll

Malum In Se

Summary: Sofia and her friends and family face their biggest challenge yet when the Never Realm rises up and unleashes the most dangerous magic wielders in the world. It's going to take the help of everyone, including some unexpected allies, to defeat the Never Realm and its most supreme evil being: Malum In Se.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Sofia the First_. However, I do own the Never Realm, Malum In Se, and several other OCs in here. Nana belongs to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: All right, time to see how the Conjuror's Board is involved in all of this. Here's a warning: there is some very dark subject matter mentioned here, but please keep in mind that the most supreme evil being has no problem harming or killing anyone, even children. However, the way I word it isn't as graphic as it could be. With that said, if you are particularly sensitive to subject matter like that, just realize that this chapter does deal with it.

* * *

Chapter 3: Taking a Toll

* * *

"I now call to order this meeting on the seventeenth day of December," Malango the Magnanimous announced as he banged his gavel against the long table, getting his board's attention. "Sir Clement, do you have the official death toll from the Never Realm attacks?"

"Yes, sir," the older man responded, looking over his documents. "There have been 381 total deaths thus far."

"That many?" Esme the Enchantress asked in surprise. "The news of the official uprising was recent. This is everywhere?"

Sir Clement nodded. "All across the globe, from the eldest to the youngest." He swallowed slowly, a look of dread on his face.

"Whatever it is, you might as well say it," Colonel Vincenzo demanded. "Don't hold back now, Clement."

"Erm…" The magistrate sighed before telling them, "Of the deceased, three were pregnant women…whose babies were evidently extracted for…sacrificial purposes."

There was a collective gasp heard across the board, save for Malango the Magnanimous, who sat with a stone-cold expression.

"The women died from blood loss."

"What else do we expect from the Never Realm?" Oniquela the Observant retorted, scowling. "There is no moral compass for those who choose to associate with the cruelest of all realms. But there should be justice for those whose lives were lost to their savage ways."

"We know that, Oniquela," Ilse the Effervescent acknowledged. "And we want justice for the victims as much as you do. Especially the unborn. But we cannot be rash."

"This is the one time it should be _perfect_ for being rash," Esme argued. "Or are you that ignorant of what's going on, Ilse?"

"Watch your tone, young lady," Madame Zenile admonished.

"My tone is just fine, you old bat!"

"SILENCE!" Malango the Magnanimous slammed his gavel down, silencing the board. "Must we all descend into madness? The Never Realm is upon us and is striking down men, women, children, magical, non-magical, and the like, and all we're doing is making it worse by arguing."

Lady Erzabet Léa, calm as ever, closed her eyes. "This is what they want, my friends." She opened her eyes once more, seeing the others looking at her. "They want us to separate. We are weak when we are apart. Together, however, we are strong."

Sir Ignacio smiled gently. "_Sí_, much stronger."

Malango the Magnanimous sighed, glad to have the group seemingly calming down, and he was about to return to the order of business when a letter materialized out of nowhere. He blinked before picking it up and flipping it over, undoing the seal and withdrawing the contents from within.

"What is it?" Ilse asked as she leaned in his direction.

The leader cleared his throat. "It's a letter from Princess Sofia of Enchancia…"

_Dear Mr. Malango and Board,_

_You already know about the uprising of the Never Realm, I'm sure. I have been hearing about it for a while now, and according to the Protectors of the Mystic Isles, it's already happening. And also according to them, Enchancia is next on their list._

_I intend to fight against them with all I have, and many people in my kingdom do as well, but we can't face this alone. We need as much help as we can possibly get. Maybe it sounds crazy or foolish, but I think with our combined efforts, we can take the Never Realm and its members down for good. We can stop the injuries and murders if we work together._

_If you are able to help at all, please respond. I don't know how much time we have left, but I can feel it creeping closer, and so can everyone else. I won't go down without a fight, Mr. Malango. I think you know that by now._

_Sincerely,_

_Princess Sofia of Enchancia_

"She's daft for even suggesting the notion," Colonel Vincenzo scoffed. "Nothing has ever been able to stop the Never Realm before, so why would anything do so now? Something of a dreamer, wouldn't you say, Malango? A philosophical, hypothetical, pathetic dreamer."

"She's a lot more than that," Madame Zenile argued. "She's kindhearted, brave, and selfless. She's still so young, and yet she's so ready to take on probably the most dangerous force in the universe? We should revere that, not rebuke it."

"I agree with Zenile," Malango the Magnanimous confirmed. "What good are we as a board to sit and watch as people suffer and die at the hands of the largest evil force in existence? We could have prevented those 381 deaths had we stepped in." He raised one hand upon seeing that his board members looked as though they were about to clamor. "Let us take a vote. All in favor of stepping in and offering our services to Princess Sofia's quest, in order to stop the Never Realm once and for all, say 'aye.'"

All in the room said 'aye' save one.

"Come on, Vincenzo," Sir Clement urged, frowning as the older man glared at him. "You can't be so heartless that you'd refuse to save women and children if given the chance? Isn't that one of the things you were trained for? To protect the weak and helpless? We need you in this fight."

Colonel Vincenzo sighed heavily, raking one hand over his face before staring at Malango the Magnanimous. "Fine. Just don't expect a miracle."

Malango frowned at his words before quickly penning a response to Sofia and sealing it in a new envelope, magically transporting it back to her. "Ladies and gentlemen, pack your bags. In two days, we will be in Enchancia."

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Letters of Intent


	4. Letters of Intent

Malum In Se

Summary: Sofia and her friends and family face their biggest challenge yet when the Never Realm rises up and unleashes the most dangerous magic wielders in the world. It's going to take the help of everyone, including some unexpected allies, to defeat the Never Realm and its most supreme evil being: Malum In Se.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Sofia the First_. However, I do own the Never Realm, Malum In Se, and several other OCs in here. Nana belongs to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: We're about to have a medley of letter-sending…sort of! :D And we're due for a little sweetness since the last chapter got relatively dark. O.o I will say this though. The NEXT chapter will have a bit more darkness, and a few characters I've written for in the past will NOT make it. Which ones? *zips lips* ¯\\_(😐)_/¯

Chapter 4: Letters of Intent

Cedric had managed to create a cot for himself, complete with those extra blankets Sofia had mentioned earlier. He'd also set up his items around the cot so that he could access them easier: his magic-related things in particular.

He glanced over toward the other side of the room where Sofia and Nana were sitting on the princess's bed, his partner playing dolls with their charge. He smiled fondly at the sight. Given the terrible circumstances, both the Never Realm _and_ the blizzard, he was happy to see any form of normalcy and lightheartedness.

Sofia paused the game she was playing with Nana and blinked as a letter appeared, plopping onto her comforter. She glanced over toward Cedric, hesitation evident on her face as he noticed and moved over to her, sitting down next to her. "…What if they can't help us?" she asked softly.

"Then we'll figure something out," he reasoned, running his fingers through her loosened hair to soothe her. "Let's see what they said first."

She inhaled slowly before opening the envelope, withdrawing the letter.

_Dear Princess Sofia,_

_Your message has been received, and the board is unanimous: we will help to the best of our abilities. We will be in Enchancia in two days' time._

_Regards,_

_Malango the Magnanimous_

_PS: I admire your courageous nature, and I am truly honored to have gotten to know you better over the years. I completely underestimated you when you were a child. It will never happen again._

Sofia sighed with a pleased smile as she passed the letter to Cedric. "That's a relief."

"I can't believe this is the same ruthless leader we met all those years ago," he told her in disbelief before shrugging and sliding the letter into the envelope once more. "With their help, I feel we stand more of a chance. But really, we need _all_ the help we can get."

"What about the blizzard?"

He nodded. "I'll contact Mother and Father, and I'll speak with Cordelia. There must be some sort of spell that can reduce it, and we'll figure out what it is. Meanwhile, let's figure out exactly who can assist us and get these letters delivered as quickly as possible. We will hopefully receive a response by the morning at least, which will give us time to plan and sort out some details."

"Right."

Working together, they split the task. They sent out magical letters to Reimagia, Mahiya, Helvetica, Namile, Merlin, Greylock and Ivy, and any other kingdom or magical people they could think of. They even sent a letter to Aeris Inanis for Quilor and Bonvis (who was once called Malvis/The Enigma and who was also once involved in a particular issue with the Scepter of Darkness, opposite of Elena's Scepter of Light, but had reverted to his normal self after their intervention). As the brothers were both powerful sorcerers, it wouldn't hurt to see if they could help with the Never Realm. Anyone they could recall, they sent letters to, pleading with them to meet them in Enchancia in two days' time (or sooner, if possible).

Upon finishing, Sofia noticed that Nana was whimpering (either in fear or discomfort, she wasn't entirely sure). She gathered the little one into her arms and gently rubbed her back. "Shh. It's okay, Nana. We're here…" She glanced toward Cedric as Nana's whimpers softened and she drifted off to sleep. "I know she can sense the evil approaching… She was made by a Never Realm cult, after all, and their dark magic is still part of her."

"Exactly," he sighed. "Even though the link with the Tenebrous was destroyed with their demise, it didn't eliminate her origins." He brushed one finger along Nana's cheek as she slept. "As long as the Never Realm exists, she will always suffer if they're near."

"It's just so unfair," the princess acknowledged. "She's such a sweet girl. So full of life and curiosity. She didn't deserve her fate, and she didn't ask to be created by such…awful people."

"I know, Sofia. We're going to destroy the Never Realm once and for all, if it's even possible." He wrapped one arm around the princess as she curled up next to him, leaving Nana to snuggle against both of them. "If for nothing else, then for Nana to have a chance at a normal life…"

"If the Never Realm _is_ destroyed, would she be able to age or talk?"

He shrugged and shook his head. "I don't know. There is still such a blanket of mystery over her that I feel it's impossible to know the full truth until we see it for ourselves." He glanced outside and noted how dark it was. "I should probably get to bed, and I'd suggest you do the same."

"Wait." She looked at her partner with an imploring stare. "Could you just…stay with us for a little bit longer? So Nana can feel better?"

He smiled knowingly. "So _Nana_ can feel better, hmm?"

Sofia sighed, smiling sheepishly. "Please?"

"Very well. But just for a little while." He chuckled as she leaned against him and closed her eyes. "Sleep well, Sofia." He gently kissed the crown of her head.

"You too, Mr. Cedric…"

About an hour later, Amber stopped by Sofia's room and knocked gently on the door. She'd made it a habit the last few days to check on everyone before going to bed herself. Call it future queen instincts or just general concern, but she definitely knew she'd feel better if she made sure that everyone was okay. However, when Sofia didn't respond, she simply opened the door and walked inside.

What she saw made her smile. Cedric and Sofia had both fallen asleep on her bed, and Nana was curled against both of them. They all seemed to be in a deep sleep, which she knew was good for them. Considering what was coming their way, they could use all the sleep and rest they could get.

The blonde reached for a large quilt at the end of Sofia's bed and unfolded it, carefully draping it over the sleeping trio. "Sleep well, you guys." She doused the lamp on the bedside table before leaving and shutting the door behind her, just as a strong gust of wind blew outside Sofia's window and stirred all the dying trees and winter blooms.

It was quiet. Too quiet. But soon, that wouldn't be a problem anymore…

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Evil Endeavors


	5. Evil Endeavors

Malum In Se

Summary: Sofia and her friends and family face their biggest challenge yet when the Never Realm rises up and unleashes the most dangerous magic wielders in the world. It's going to take the help of everyone, including some unexpected allies, to defeat the Never Realm and its most supreme evil being: Malum In Se.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Sofia the First_. However, I do own the Never Realm, Malum In Se, and several other OCs in here. Nana belongs to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: Okay, you're about to see the evil being in action, and the first "on-screen" victims, so to speak. Some of you will probably recognize these victims, and it's going to be somewhat brutal, but you'll also find out the reasoning behind the Never Realm's interest in Enchancia here. 😉

* * *

Chapter 5: Evil Endeavors

* * *

A dark figure stood at the top of a hill, watching silently as several cult members and other corrupted Never Realm residents invaded the Kingdom of Golian, which was home to King Langold and his daughter Princess Hortencia. A dark smile appeared on the being's face as it observed the fields set aflame, many village homes already burned to the ground. Plenty of members were running after the subjects, slaying them on sight.

One man tripped and fell flat on his face, and he never saw his attacker coming as a cleaver struck straight into his skull. A woman screamed in terror as her tiny daughter was ripped straight out of her arms and tossed into a swirling vortex, and the young mother was next to be slain as dark magic quite literally sliced her in half.

The dark being faded from its spot and reappeared in the old, dilapidated castle, where he saw that King Langold was already dead, his salt-and-pepper hair stained and matted with blood, along with his usually immaculate black and silver outfit. A horrifying end to a relatively decent and kindhearted human being…

A small whimper came from the side, and the dark figure turned and noticed a bloody girl with tangled black hair trying to crawl away. As she appeared to have been stabbed several times, her movements were languid and shaky, and blood was pouring down her arms and back, soaking through her elegant gold dress. The being smirked. "Where do you think _you're_ going, princess?"

Princess Hortencia, once known for her sour attitude when she visited Enchancia several years ago, was now a 23-year-old royal in line for the throne. Or she _was_… She turned and gasped as she saw the being before her, but she couldn't even scream as she stared directly into the brightly-shining eyes of the dark figure. She was killed instantly on the spot, her body petrified and her hazel eyes dull and lifeless.

The evil figure chuckled before walking along, purposefully stepping on the princess's corpse and several other deceased victims as well as it moved. Seeing that no one in the castle was alive, it fazed out of the building and back to the hill, the black cloak billowing out in the harsh wind. The figure raised a hand, sending a wave of dark magic into the air, which was evidently a summons for the Never Realm inhabitants to reunite.

* * *

They carried on through several other kingdoms—some large and well-known, and some small and intimate—before reconvening in the mountains in an undisclosed location.

"It gives me great pleasure to announce that you have murdered well over two thousand useless Ever Realm inhabitants!" the being announced in that deep, gravelly voice, which was surrounded by whispers. A dark sneer appeared on the figure's face as the Never Realm cult members and inhabitants cheered loudly. "But we can do far better than that, for I have bigger goals, comrades. I have had my sights set on the Kingdom of Enchancia for a very long time."

"What good is that kingdom, sire?" one woman asked, her voice a shrill sound like nails on a chalkboard.

"I'm sure many of you have heard of Princess Sofia: the youngest and first non-magical Protector, and the one who defeated one of my personal favorite former members: Vor." With a snap of its fingers, a holographic image of Sofia appeared, a determined look on her face as her hair blew behind her in the wind. It was an image from when she was fighting with Kinoroh in Reimagia. "Not to mention my most notable members, Kinoroh, as you see here, and even Furio."

"What a nuisance!" one man snarled. "Why are we waiting so long to slay her?!"

The being laughed sinisterly. "Patience, my minions. I'm well aware of her numerous successes and her increase in power, especially now that she's eighteen and one of the most distinguished people in the realm. She has all the powers of a sorceress now. Clearly, we've let this go on too long." The being's hand balled into a fist. "She is far more powerful than I ever could have foreseen, especially considering how weak she was as a little child. It will be a great pleasure to avenge my fallen followers."

A roar of cheers and applause echoed in the mountains.

"She's also the one who stole the strawberry child from the Tenebrous!" an older man called out in anger. "That little pipsqueak who can heal!"

"And destroy," the being corrected with a smirk. "The child has just as dark a background and powers as any of you, and Tenebrous or not, we _will_ retrieve her and use her against the princess. How satisfying would that be? To see her very own 'charge' helping to destroy her?" The figure laughed loudly. "It would thoroughly crush the princess and her will, and she'll be easy prey. It will be the greatest revenge I could imagine! We will attack Enchancia next! In three days, the kingdom, and every man, woman, and child, will be slain." The grin that appeared on the dark figure's face would have sent chills down even the most calloused person's spine. "And I personally plan to rip the precious princess to pieces…very, very slowly…"

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Magical Reinforcements


	6. Magical Reinforcements

Malum In Se

Summary: Sofia and her friends and family face their biggest challenge yet when the Never Realm rises up and unleashes the most dangerous magic wielders in the world. It's going to take the help of everyone, including some unexpected allies, to defeat the Never Realm and its most supreme evil being: Malum In Se.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Sofia the First_. However, I do own the Never Realm, Malum In Se, and several other OCs in here. Nana belongs to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: Back to a bit more lighthearted stuff. That's kind of the recurring theme here, I think: one chapter is dark, then light, then dark… We'll have a few more lighthearted chapters for a while though before we get into the darker stuff again. By the time chapter 10 hits, it's going to get much darker again. But until then, I'm working on building some things up so that everything comes together in the end. With that said, here's chapter 6. Oh, and note that I've updated the Wix site for this story with some new or new-ish images of the gathered recruits. lol

* * *

Chapter 6: Magical Reinforcements

* * *

Two days had passed, and thankfully the blizzard had subsided, and the heavily-packed snow was able to be magically removed, thanks to Cedric's parents (who'd travelled via their portrait upon Cedric's request). However, Roland still insisted that everyone remain in the castle for now, as they wanted to watch the weather to make sure it didn't return, because that would be quite the disaster if people were mid-moving and it happened _again_.

Regardless, Cedric was able to return to his tower anyway and had restored his things to their proper locations. He and Sofia were currently sitting at the worktable, talking and playing with Nana, when Baileywick knocked and stepped inside.

"Whatever happened to waiting for me to say, 'Come in?'" Cedric asked irritably, glowering at the steward.

Baileywick rolled his eyes. "Being stuck in a castle with over a hundred people has made me far less patient." He looked toward Sofia. "Speaking of which, you have…a few new _visitors_ in the throne room, Princess Sofia."

Sofia blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you probably need to come see for yourself." The steward sighed and rubbed his temples before turning and walking away, mumbling something to himself.

"The way he said that was questionable," Cedric told her as he stood and picked up Nana.

The princess pondered something before gaping at her partner. "You don't think…?"

He caught on and grimaced. "We'd…better hurry before your father gets overwhelmed."

The trio hurried out the door, Wormwood flying after them and landing on Sofia's shoulder.

* * *

When they arrived in the throne room, to say they were stunned would be an understatement. So many people, including children, were gathered before Roland and Miranda. The Protectors (specifically Chrysta, Orion, and Vega), Greylock, Ivy, Miss Nettle, Zinnia, Sir Finlay, Gabriella, Arabella, Sapphire, Davina, Dante, Dexter, Brexley, Malvino, Sir Langshire, Lady Maeve, all of the Conjuror's Board, Quilor, and Bonvis had all arrived. Even more surprising? There were a few reformed trouble-makers among them: Prisma and Kitanya were standing by the Protectors. They both seemed far more docile than they used to be, and both had clearly grown up quite a bit. They looked relatively similar to how they used to appear, though with perhaps a bit more maturity about them.

"Wow," Sofia laughed in awe as she looked around. "When we sent out those letters, I had no idea so many people would respond…"

"What letters, Sofia?" Roland asked, curious. "And do they have something to do with why all these people have gathered here?"

"Allow me to explain, King Roland." Cedric handed Nana to Sofia as he stepped over to his friend. "As you know, the Never Realm is rising. There are reports that over 2,000 people have already met their demise. The Protectors contacted Sofia and told her of the inevitable movement toward our kingdom, and there is no denying that they're drawing nearer. Anyone with any magical capability can feel it. So…"

Miranda nodded in understanding. "So you sought help." Seeing Cedric nod, she sighed. "This is going to be very dangerous." She turned to the newly-gathered group. "Are you all really willing to risk your lives to help protect our kingdom?"

"It's not just about that, Your Majesty," Kitanya was the first to respond. "The Never Realm is probably the most dangerous realm in existence, and if we can stop them, we could rid some of the evilest beings to ever exist. I will be the first to admit that I have a rather bleak past. Your daughter, however, gave me a second chance, and the Protectors took me under their wing to help me see things from a new perspective. I've been working in the Mystic Isles the last four years, trying to be a better person." She smiled calmly toward Sofia, surprising the princess. "When someone as kindhearted as Princess Sofia risks her life to do what's right and to offer you a second chance, it's only right to _finally_ return the favor."

"Which time did she risk her life with you?" Roland asked, frowning. "I'm afraid I don't even recognize you."

"I love how it's happened so many times that he's lost count," Gabriella muttered to Miss Nettle, who snickered.

Sofia sighed. "It was when Mr. Cedric and I travelled for the first time as Magical Ambassadors a few years ago, Dad. In Mahiya. Kitanya had been the surprise 'villain' we hadn't seen coming, but… I knew and still know she's better than she ever believed she could be." She smiled warmly toward Kitanya. "We all make mistakes. But we have to move on and be better after learning from those mistakes." Her gaze then shifted to Prisma, who shied away a bit under her questioning gaze. "Isn't that right, Prisma?"

Prisma blinked and stared at the princess in surprise, before finally smiling and nodding. "Right, Sofia…"

"I'm going to have to go along on one of your Protector missions sometime or something," Roland sighed, rubbing his head. "I feel like we're missing a _huge _chunk of the story."

Sofia turned and offered the king a displeased look. "Dad, no. I know you, and you'd be trying to navigate or dictate how the mission will go, and we'll get lost and probably _fail_ our mission. No offense…"

"That's actually probably rather accurate," Baileywick agreed, grinning sheepishly as Roland glared at him. "Sorry, Your Majesty. I'm just saying."

"We just need to find accommodations for everyone now," Miranda said, standing with Corban sliding from her lap to the floor to stand next to her. "Baileywick, are there any more rooms available with the villagers staying here?"

"I'm afraid not, Queen Miranda," he sighed. "There are a few common rooms open though, and while it may be less desirable, the dungeon is currently prisoner-free."

"Not it," Greylock joked, folding his arms. "Been there, done that."

"We'll take care of it, Queen Miranda," Cedric volunteered, withdrawing his wand. "Sofia and I will create beds and proper accommodations for everyone in the common rooms."

Sofia nodded. "Yeah, Mom. Everything will be okay."

"Except for the imminent danger of the Never Realm," Colonel Vincenzo reminded them with a stern voice.

"Speaking of which, we need to have a long discussion about that." Roland frowned. "I'd like to have a plan in place before our kingdom is decimated like all the others around us."

"Do not worry, King Roland," Malango the Magnanimous insisted. "We are here to help, and we will figure something out together."

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Innocence Among Imperilment

* * *

Upcoming quotes from the next chapter:

"There's got to be something we're missing… What do they know that we don't?"

"When it comes to children, a great deal… They see things we can't see—or refuse to see. It's what oftentimes makes them far more powerful than the rest of us."


	7. Innocence Among Imperilment

Malum In Se

Summary: Sofia and her friends and family face their biggest challenge yet when the Never Realm rises up and unleashes the most dangerous magic wielders in the world. It's going to take the help of everyone, including some unexpected allies, to defeat the Never Realm and its most supreme evil being: Malum In Se.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Sofia the First_. However, I do own the Never Realm, Malum In Se, and several other OCs in here. Nana belongs to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: Okay! For everyone who was waiting for the kids to interact, this chapter is for you! And yes, Greylock is finally going to find out about Nana, which is something a few people have been asking me to write. Lol. It's here! We'll get some good old-fashioned Cedric-and-Greylock bantering. Haha. AND you'll find out just who spoke the quotes in the last chapter, and to whom they refer. Oh, yes, and we'll also see some of the adults discuss plans for keeping Enchancia safe. You'll be able to see and hear from more than just those who've already spoken, too—if not in this chapter, than in the upcoming ones. LOTS going on.

* * *

Chapter 7: Innocence Among Imperilment

* * *

Since the arrival of the aids to help combat the Never Realm, there had been plenty of discussion ongoing the last several hours: particularly about which magical methods could finally bring down the Never Realm.

"I'm just saying," Roland said with an impatient sigh, "that seeing as the Never Realm has existed for so long, and also seeing how so many of you are so powerful, I don't understand why nothing has been done about it until _now_. _How_ are you going to defeat the Never Realm?"

"A perfectly logical and reasonable question, King Roland," Malango the Magnanimous acquiesced. "And unfortunately, we do not have an answer for you."

"It is true," Merlin, who had recently arrived with Goodwyn and Winifred after witnessing the events of the Never Realm's pursuit, added. "Even I am ashamed to admit that I'm uncertain how to take on perhaps the worst and wickedest realm ever known to man. We would essentially be battling evil itself."

"That begs the question," Quilor raised, "of how you can destroy something that was technically never created to begin with. Evil has always existed, as far as we know, and Malum In Se literally means 'evil in itself.'"

"Exactly," Bonvis concurred, nodding at his brother. "It seems like a pointless battle, if you ask me. And that is coming from someone who was once corrupted with wickedness."

"I think we're going about this the wrong way," Lucinda countered, nudging her mother, who was glaring at Esme (who appeared bored and was mimicking the others with her hands). "You said it yourself: pure evil is what we're up against. That seems to indicate that only the opposite of evil can bring it down."

"What _is_ the opposite of evil?" Miranda asked, shrugging. "My first instinct is to say 'goodness,' but there's not one person in the entire Ever Realm who is completely good. We may possess good qualities, but everyone has flaws and has done _something_ bad at least once—even lying."

"You are on the right track, Queen Miranda," Lady Maeve told her with an air of mystery. "But rather than good versus evil, evaluate this in another manner. The evil possesses the darkness. How does one combat _that_?"

"The light," Ilse the Effervescent gasped. "Of course… Dark Magic versus Light Magic." She frowned. "But people of the Light are so rare; it would be impossible to find one who possesses enough Light Magic to seal away or eradicate the Never Realm."

The Reimagian sorceress smiled surreptitiously. "You think so?"

"Regardless," Roland interjected, "whatever we do, I'm calling for all hands at this point. Anyone who _can_ stand against the Never Realm, you're direly needed. I want to keep my family, friends, and subjects safe, and I can't do it alone."

"That's why we're here, King Roland," Madame Zenile enthused with her usual warm nature. "Your daughter and your royal sorcerer called on us, and we responded in kind. We will not let you fight this battle alone."

"Agreed," Orion added with a nod. "We shall stand united in our efforts."

* * *

Meanwhile, several others were in one of the common rooms, where the children had gathered together to play. For the first time, Nana, Sapphire, Brexley, Davina, Corban, and Zinnia were able to meet each other in person, and they seemed to be having a grand time either chasing each other or playing with toys.

"They're so adorable!" Amber giggled as she sat near Calista and Desmond. She playfully nudged her fiancé. "I can't wait to see our own little ones running around like that."

Desmond laughed nervously, blushing. "A-Amber, we still have to get married first…" His eyes widened in realization. "And that's coming really quickly, you know…"

She smiled sweetly, leaning against him. "I know…"

"It's nice to see them so carefree," Calista commented, smiling as Angel walked over and sat next to her. "Maybe this is what we needed… Just a break from reality for a bit."

"They have such innocence in such a dark time," Angel added calmly, grasping his friend's hand. "It is wonderful to watch."

Davina giggled as she spun around in circles before falling over, accidentally knocking Nana down. "Oopsie!" She turned and held her hands to her mouth, her dark eyes widening a bit. "I sorry!" She reached down and grasped the other little girl's hands. "I help you."

Sapphire and Brexley, who had been playing dolls together, paused as they saw a small magical glimmer appear when the other girls held hands. Corban and Zinnia oohed in interest, blinking.

"Did you see that?" Sofia whispered to Cedric, gently nudging him and pointing toward Davina and Nana, who were now sitting across from each other, hands separated, staring at each other in interest.

"See what?" he asked distractedly as he tried to wipe juice off of his robe sleeve. "I'm more accident-prone than your brother sometimes."

"I see a connection for certain," Sir Finlay chuckled as Gabriella leaned against him. "Perhaps the girls will become best friends."

"I think they already are," Gabriella laughed as she saw her daughter still carefully eyeing Nana.

"Yeah, but…" Sofia rolled her eyes and grabbed Cedric's wand, muttering a cleaning spell and ridding his precious robe of the offending juice. She smirked as he smiled thankfully. "I feel like there's more to it than that…" She frowned thoughtfully as she saw Davina take her charge's hand, an empathetic look crossing her features as Nana appeared distraught for some reason. "There's got to be something we're missing… What do they know that we don't?"

Sir Finlay sighed. "When it comes to children, a great deal… They see things we can't see—or refuse to see. It's what oftentimes makes them far more powerful than the rest of us."

Suddenly, the air of seriousness between the two little girls dissipated, and they were back to giggling and chasing each other again.

Cedric yawned and leaned his head against Sofia's shoulder, causing her to laugh. "They wear me out just watching them."

"Why are you leaning against me?" the princess challenged playfully. "Isn't that _my _thing?"

"We can trade places every now and then," the sorcerer retorted with a scoff.

"If that's the case…" She reached out and wrapped an arm around him, tracing her fingers through his hair and murmuring in her best imitation of his accent, "There, there, my dear Cedric. You'd best get some rest now."

"O-kay," Gabriella snickered as she sat up and grinned at the princess. "You've got that a little _too_ perfect, Sofia."

She shrugged as Cedric rolled his eyes yet seemed to be enjoying the attention for a change. "Guess that's what happens when you spend as much time together as we do."

"Speaking of which!" Greylock's voice cut in as he plopped next to Cedric, a plate of cake in his hands.

Cedric sat up, frowning at the other sorcerer. "Hey, where did you get cake?"

"That's not important." Greylock munched happily on his confection before grinning at his friend. "What _is_ important is that you suddenly have a child and never told me! Did _you_ adopt _her_, or did _she_ adopt _you_? Or, if she's yours naturally, I really don't understand the whole pink hair thing." He snickered as Cedric flushed in embarrassment.

"You don't know the whole story, Greylock, so don't hurt yourself jumping to conclusions." He gestured vaguely. "I'll tell you the full story when the children aren't around, but the abbreviated version is that Nana was unfortunately created by the Never Realm. Sofia and I found her after she escaped, and we became her…unofficially-official guardians, I suppose."

The brown-haired sorcerer pursed his lips as he considered Cedric's words. "I see." He grinned. "So, what's it feel like to be a father? …I _never _thought I'd ask _you_ that question…"

Cedric rolled his eyes. "I'm her guardian, Greylock, not her father."

"You say tomato… Do you feed her? Clothe her? Sing her to sleep? Hug her when she's tired or lonely? Play with her? Teach her things?" Seeing Cedric nodding slowly, he smirked. "Welcome to the world of parenting, Papa Cedric."

"Oh, for Merlin's sake…"

Sofia giggled. "I think that's enough teasing, Mr. Greylock."

"Whatever you say, Princess Sofia." He pointed his fork at her. "And you're Nana's other guardian, you say?" Seeing her nod, he chuckled. "I see… Well, you're both doing a fantastic job. Maybe you're not her actual parents, but that's okay. Maybe she doesn't need traditional parents." He nodded to himself. "Yes. Perhaps guardians are better in this case…"

Cedric frowned at his strange rambling. "What _exactly_ was in that cake?"

Greylock grinned excitedly. "Sugar."

The princess smiled and glanced toward Sir Finlay and Gabriella, who seemed rather amused at the scene before them. "Don't worry. Arguing and picking on each other is completely normal for those two."

"Mm-hmm." The older sorceress glanced back at the children. "Well, at least we were able to have a little bit of excitement rather than worrying about the Never Realm for a while. The kids needed it, and so did we."

"Yeah…" Sofia watched Davina and Nana once more, a sense of curiosity filling her. "I wonder…"

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Lady Maeve's Prophecy


	8. Lady Maeve's Prophecy

Malum In Se

Summary: Sofia and her friends and family face their biggest challenge yet when the Never Realm rises up and unleashes the most dangerous magic wielders in the world. It's going to take the help of everyone, including some unexpected allies, to defeat the Never Realm and its most supreme evil being: Malum In Se.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Sofia the First_. However, I do own the Never Realm, Malum In Se, and several other OCs in here. Nana belongs to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: Okay, everyone! :D Time to see what was going on with Davina and Nana. I love how some of you already have theories. That's good. Even Lady Maeve has a theory in here. You'll find out what the full context of everything is during chapter 11, but in the meantime, let's see what our Mistress of Light Magic has to say. 😉 Fun fact: I've already written chapter 9, and it was even finished before chapter 7 was. Bahahahaha! It started out like, "Ooh, I had a great thought for the chapter. Let me write that down!" …And then I literally wrote the entire thing in like an hour. ;p The life of a writer… ALSO, this chapter is meant to be short. The next one is a bit longer though. 😊

* * *

Chapter 8: Lady Maeve's Prophecy

* * *

That evening, knowing full well that the Never Realm was steadily growing closer, a great number of people were gathered in the throne room with conjured beds, blankets, and pillows. While it wasn't quite time for people to go to sleep yet, that didn't stop a few: namely Goodwyn and Winifred, Corban and Miranda, and Colonel Vincenzo (which most agreed was a _good_ thing, considering his increasingly irritable mood). Most of the other kids had already gone to sleep as well, though Brexley and Sapphire were still communicating and playing dolls with each other while Dexter and Kitanya sat nearby watching them, all while catching up on the last few years in which they'd not seen each other. Perhaps it was too early to say for sure, but they appeared to be on the road to recovering and rekindling the friendship they once had, though they weren't naïve enough to believe that it would return overnight.

Many others, of course, weren't quite able to sleep yet, for obvious reasons. Sofia was sitting in between Cedric and Amber, the latter leaning against her fiancé. The younger princess was holding a sleeping Nana and gently caressing her hair in a soothing motion while talking quietly with a few others who'd gathered.

"I'm worried, you guys," she sighed, expressing her concerns to not only Amber, Desmond, and Cedric, but also to Lady Maeve, Malvino, and Sir Langshire (the Reimagians), who had felt it best to catch up with their former student from her sorceress training days. "I'm afraid that this may be something we can't defeat…" She frowned before glancing up at them. "And even if we do, there will always be some other form of evil out there, waiting to destroy us all. Won't there?"

"Even if that _is_ the case, Sofia," Cedric began, getting his partner's attention, "we may still be able to defeat _this _evil together."

The princess shook her head in disbelief. "How? How are we supposed to defeat something that has been described as 'evil in itself?' How is that even _possible_?"

Lady Maeve, who had been sitting across from them and silently observing, smiled calmly. "When the darkness falls," she began, her wise, warm voice calling them to attention, "the stars shine their brightest. Darkness can help the light, and light can help the darkness. A little light goes a long way, but the darkness can hide and shield you from the malevolence of the world. Let them work together, and you will be victorious."

Amber blinked as she sat up, her eyes narrowing at the older woman. "I bet you got high marks in _your_ creative writing courses."

"Sounds like a prophecy to me," Malvino informed them as Lady Maeve chuckled quietly before getting up and walking away. "Whatever the case, I have never known Lady Maeve to speak words like that without there being a significant meaning behind them. She doesn't speak capriciously."

"But what exactly _did_ she prophesize?" Desmond wondered as Amber leaned against him once again.

Sir Langshire sighed. "That is what we must find out for ourselves, I'm afraid."

Sofia glanced down at her sleeping charge, holding her more closely than before. "I just hope we can figure it out before it's too late…"

* * *

Merlin, who'd witnessed everything that had just occurred, stopped Lady Maeve before she could settle into one of the cots. "You know something, do you not?"

The dark-haired woman hummed thoughtfully. "What I know is irrelevant. In fact, I know little more than everyone else here. It is up to others to determine what is best. I am merely a vessel for possibilities." She glanced back toward the others, and at Nana in particular. "Now they must become the vessels…" She looked toward Merlin with a mysterious smile. "…for peace."

The old wizard blinked as she moved past him and settled into her own small cot, covering up with the provided blankets and going to sleep. "I wonder…"

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Promise Me


	9. Promise Me

Malum In Se

Summary: Sofia and her friends and family face their biggest challenge yet when the Never Realm rises up and unleashes the most dangerous magic wielders in the world. It's going to take the help of everyone, including some unexpected allies, to defeat the Never Realm and its most supreme evil being: Malum In Se.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Sofia the First_. However, I do own the Never Realm, Malum In Se, and several other OCs in here. Nana belongs to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: Brace yourselves… Sad fluff ahead. ;_; You're also going to see a new level of understanding between Cedric and Sofia here. It's been there all along, really, but when you're up against the kind of danger they're up against… Things tend to change a bit. You'll see. Also, this is probably the last chapter I'll be able to upload this week. We'll see how the weekend goes though. :D That's why I put out TWO chapters tonight! Haha.

* * *

Chapter 9: Promise Me

* * *

Hours passed as the night waxed on. While the others were now asleep, Sofia found herself unable to achieve the same goal. Cedric had taken Nana with him a few hours ago, and they were now sleeping on one of the beds near the wall. The princess's mind, however, was racing, and she was beyond nervous. Even being surrounded by so many powerful people, and her own family and friends, she still understood how much was at stake. As she looked upon every face with the small light of her lamplight glowing in the darkness, she suddenly felt panicked. She could lose them. _She_ could die… No one was safe from the Never Realm, and that had been made abundantly clear. After all, over two thousand souls were already lost…

What if she _did_ die? How would that impact her family? She didn't want to leave them, but… And then a chilling thought came to her. Nana… She was one of her guardians, and the little girl had suffered so much already. If she died… If she _and_ _Cedric_ died… She couldn't even bear to think about it.

She'd never really feared death before, even though she'd come close to succumbing to it a few times in the past, but now… Now she knew what it was like. To be scared of never waking up again… To wonder what lay beyond this realm… To be afraid of the fear and the pain associated with death… It was too much.

She slid against the doors of the throne room, lowering her lamplight to the floor as she buried her face in her hands. This whole thing felt so _final_, and it was slowly eating away at her usual optimistic nature.

* * *

Cedric sat up from his sleep, feeling something was amiss. Upon glancing around, he noticed that Sofia wasn't anywhere nearby. "Sofia?" he whispered, sliding out of the bed where he had been resting with Nana. He pulled the blankets up over the sleeping child before withdrawing his wand, illuminating the end of it, and moving along amongst the sleeping visitors.

Eventually, he found Sofia curled up next to the throne room doors, her entire body shaking. Sheathing his wand in his robe, he slowly lowered down, next to his partner, wrapping one arm around her and sighing as she instantly leaned into him. He reached up and caressed her hair, threading his fingers through her loose waves. "Talk to me," he said to her quietly. "Vocalize every worry and fear you have. I'll listen."

"I know…" She sat up and stared at him, her blue eyes filled with apprehension. "I'm terrified. There have been so many deaths already, and I'm scared one of us is going to be next… What if it's us? You or me?" She looked away with a soft sob. "What will happen to Nana if something happens to _us_? Our poor little Strawbaby… I can't bear to think that…" She couldn't go on. Her mind wouldn't permit it.

Cedric listened patiently, allowing her to get every single fear and concern out that she possibly could. When it appeared that she'd finally finished, he simply turned and gathered her into his arms, fully embracing her and gently rocking her. "Shh…" He wouldn't tell her it was going to be all right. That was probably the _last_ thing she wanted to hear at that point, and it wasn't always the most comforting thing one could be told, despite the good intentions. It was so generic, and far too often, they were just empty words…

So they sat like that—in the quiet darkness with only Sofia's lamplight to see each other by—for a few more minutes. That silent embrace seemed to do wonders for Sofia, who had calmed down a bit and was no longer shaking.

Finally, Sofia glanced up at her partner with a determined look in her eyes. "I want you to promise me something."

"Anything, Sofia…" He could see the fire in her gaze and knew that what she had to say was both important and urgent.

"Promise me you won't die."

His breath caught in his throat.

"Promise me that you'll survive and stay with Nana, even…" She closed her eyes. "Even if something happens to _me_…"

"Sofia, I have no intention of dying," he assured her, gently placing his hands on either side of her face, using his thumbs to wipe away the few tears that had fallen. "But you must promise me the same thing." He frowned as she grew quiet. "Sofia…" His hands lowered to hers, squeezing them lightly. "Promise me."

She sighed. "I promise…to use every fighting breath in my body to stay alive and come back to you guys." She looked up at her partner. "I don't want to leave you… We're… We're a team. We're Cedric and Sofia… We…belong together…"

Cedric lifted her hands and gently kissed them, causing her to gasp softly as he smiled at her. He leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers, whispering, "I love you, Sofia…"

The princess felt tears stinging in her eyes as she attempted to smile, albeit sadly, at her partner. "I love you too, Mr. Cedric…" She kissed his cheek before wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace. They held onto each other for another minute or so before she released him, giving him a pleading look. "Will you stay near me tonight? I…" She frowned, not liking how scared she still sounded. "I know the Never Realm is approaching, and it will be here soon, so…"

"Say no more." He stood up, pulling her with him, and guided her back to the bed where he was sleeping previously. He lifted the covers on one side of the bed, gingerly helping her under them. He caressed her cheek once before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Good night, Sofia."

She sighed, holding his hand to her cheek for a few more moments as she responded, "Good night, Mr. Cedric…" She released him and turned over, smiling as Nana snuggled closer to her for warmth. When Cedric climbed into bed on the other side and slid under the covers, she reached over and gently grasped his hand.

Cedric said nothing more, but he did squeeze her hand reassuringly as he smiled at her and closed his eyes.

And that's how they fell asleep: hands clasped, minds more at ease, and hearts full. They were together.

But for how much longer?

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Malum In Se


	10. Malum In Se

Malum In Se

Summary: Sofia and her friends and family face their biggest challenge yet when the Never Realm rises up and unleashes the most dangerous magic wielders in the world. It's going to take the help of everyone, including some unexpected allies, to defeat the Never Realm and its most supreme evil being: Malum In Se.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Sofia the First_. However, I do own the Never Realm, Malum In Se, and several other OCs in here. Nana belongs to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: All right, everyone! The big, bad, awful villain is about to make its first contact with Enchancia. And it's going to be dangerous and deadly… Hang on, because there's going to be a lot going on in here! Also, sorry it took so long to update. School is nearing the end, and there's a lot going on. And sorry in advance if the other two chapters take a while to get out. lol

* * *

Chapter 10: Malum In Se

* * *

A loud explosion outside the castle woke everyone who'd previously been sleeping, startling them into a state of alarm and panic. As the castle had been housing the villagers and the travelers the last few days, there would have thankfully been no one outside to encounter said explosions.

Cordelia jumped up from her bed with Calista, meeting Angel as he hurried over, and glanced toward her brother, who was sitting up in the bed he'd shared with Nana and Sofia. "We must create a barrier—a shield to protect the castle."

Cedric nodded and quickly moved from the bed as Sofia followed suit, gathering Nana into her arms as Wormwood flew over and landed on Sofia's shoulder. "Right." He looked toward the other magic wielders as everyone came hurrying into the throne room. "A little help? Magical barrier around the castle. We _must_ keep the evil at bay."

"But for how long?" Gabriella asked even as she prepared to aid them.

"Let us not worry about longevity of magic, _mon cher_," Sir Finlay murmured to his wife. "What is important is that we protect everyone."

Roland turned to Baileywick as the magic wielders (including sorcerers, sorceresses, witches, and so on) began concentrating and reciting a protection spell. "Baileywick, get the guards, and get everyone else below the castle: villagers, children, visitors, and whoever else is here. I don't care if it's in the dungeon—as long as they're safe."

Baileywick bowed as Violet hurried up next to him, whispering something in his ear. "Yes, Your Majesty. And I've just been informed that all of the doors and windows have been as secured as possible, and they've all been nailed shut as well."

"Let's hope it works until they're finished with this spell then," Roland muttered to Miranda as Baileywick began ushering the villagers and other non-magical people out of the throne room. He sighed as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Miranda, maybe you and the children should go with them."

"We're not children anymore, Dad," James assured him, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword that was secured around his waist as Desmond did the same to his own. "We'll protect our castle, our people, and our kingdom."

"I'll go, Rollie," Miranda told the king with a solemn nod. "And I'll take Corban. I'll help keep some order and calm with the others."

Roland sighed and leaned forward, kissing her for a few moments, before placing a hand to her cheek. "Be safe."

She smiled as he then kissed Corban's forehead. "We will. I love you, Roland."

"I'll go with her," Amber volunteered. "As future queen, I feel it's only right to protect our subjects…" She glanced toward her fiancé. "Desmond?"

"I'll stay and help James," he told her, sighing as she hugged him. "Do what you do best, Amber. Take control and be the hope that our people need."

She smiled with a few tears pooling in her eyes as she looked up toward him. "That's the first time you've said 'our' people…"

He returned the smile. "And in a few days, we'll make it official." He kissed her and then watched as both Amber and Miranda hugged and spoke to the rest of their family before leaving. He glanced back toward Sofia, who seemed a bit perplexed as she watched the magic-wielders forming their barrier outside the castle. "You okay, Sofia?"

"I should help them," she told him desperately. "They need all the magic they can get." She looked toward Desmond. "Can you hold her?" she asked, holding out Nana to the confused prince.

"Uh, sure…" He blinked as Nana stared up at him with her lip trembling.

"Thanks." Sofia smiled gently at her charge and caressed her hair. "It's okay, Nana. It's all going to be okay. Just stay with Desmond for now, and I'll be back to get you in a little bit." She kissed her head before hurrying over to the others.

James sighed as he walked next to Desmond. "You ever feel useless without all the magic powers like they've got?"

"Actually, I think it's more that I feel a little intimidated," the other prince admitted. "For all the knowledge I have, I'm very basic with magic, so watching others do everything so fluidly… It's impressive yet intimidating."

Nana turned in Desmond's arms and watched with wide green eyes as both of her guardians now stood next to each other. It was at that moment she _wished_ she could talk… There were so many things she wanted to say in this dangerous situation, especially considering the horrible feeling she was now experiencing internally. She just knew that things were about to get really bad…

There was a rather large circle of magical people in the throne room now, each with his or her eyes closed, arms and hands extended, and magic pouring from them and spanning outwardly as a large white shield-like barrier surrounded the castle inch by inch. The magic wielders consisted of Sofia, Cedric, Cordelia, Calista, Angel, Lucinda, Marla, Dante, the Protectors, Prisma, Kitanya, Merlin, Goodwyn, Winifred, Greylock, Ivy, Miss Nettle, Sir Finlay, Gabriella, Arabella, Dexter, Malvino, Sir Langshire, Lady Maeve, Quilor, Bonvis, and the Conjuror's Board members. The kids were off to the side with Roland, James, and Desmond, watching as their parents, siblings, or guardians helped protect the castle.

"It looks like it's working," James murmured, staring at the magical team in awe.

"I don't know, James," Roland responded with an edge to his voice. His eyes darted to each person in the circle, eventually landing on Sofia. He frowned as he saw a look of discomfort on her face. "Something is wrong."

Nana whimpered and reached out toward her guardians, flailing her arms.

"It… It's not working," Sofia managed to tell Cedric, who seemed to be growing a bit weakened himself, as did the others. She opened her eyes and looked toward her partner, who mimicked her motions. "What can we do?"

Before Cedric could even respond, a loud crack of thunder echoed across the sky, and more explosions erupted outside the castle.

"_**NOTHING**_."

The magic wielders were suddenly knocked off their feet, each thrown back by a powerful blast as a swirling vortex appeared in the center of the throne room.

"Sofia!" Roland called, preparing to hurry to his daughter but stopping once he saw something very dark and sinister exiting through the vortex. To his relief, however, he noticed that both Cedric and Winifred were holding onto the princess, and that made him feel a bit better for her safety.

The evil entity's presence left a very negative impact on everyone in the room. Just its existence in the room was causing them pain in some form, including disillusionment and delirium.

"Don't look at it!" Merlin called to the others over the loud wind that was now rushing around them (likely brought about from the vortex), shielding his eyes. "If its eyes begin shining, it will kill you on the spot!"

"Clever, old man," the dark, gravelly voice taunted with a low chuckle. "But if I wanted to kill you that easily, I would have already done so. I prefer slow, painful destruction when it comes to the true threats to my plans…" Its gaze fell on Sofia, who, while not looking directly at the area of the face, chose instead to glare at the mass of dark smoke that surrounded its form. "And the main threat, ironically enough, is huddled before me, weakened and utterly pathetic."

Sofia scowled and slowly stood to her feet, despite the others' protests. She felt one hand grasp her own, and looking down she saw her partner staring at her with a worried expression. She gently squeezed his hand before releasing it and walking forward. "I'll show _you_ pathetic. Who are you?!" she demanded, her blue eyes like fire as her hair whipped around her.

"_I_ am Malum In Se, and you have no idea what I have in store for you, Princess Sofia of Enchancia." A low, gravelly, intimidating chuckle escaped the figure before a clawed hand raked through the air, changing the entire scenery.

* * *

They were all now in a completely different realm.

Merlin quickly glanced at the others. "Shield your eyes!"

"How are we supposed to fight an enemy we can't _see_?!" Gabriella demanded, yet she still kept her arm raised to the level of her eyes.

Ivy extended her hand toward the children, Roland, James, and Desmond. "My beautiful butterflies, protect our little ones and friends." She sighed as she felt a bit of her energy leave her once her black and white butterflies surrounded the kids and the royals. She smiled a bit as Greylock held her. "At least they'll be safe…"

Greylock frowned before turning back to Merlin. "I agree with Mrs. Gabriella. We can't destroy the entity if we can't see it."

"If _you_ want to try, be my guest!" Merlin snapped, growing wary.

Sofia wielded her wand and yelled, "_Interficio_!" The spell flew toward the being, striking it and causing it to double over. She blinked. "I…did it?"

"I wouldn't start cheering just yet," Lucinda informed her, her own wand clutched in her hand. "That was a little _too_ easy for such an evil being…"

Malum In Se began laughing lowly, darkly, as it stood to its full height once more, no shine of the eyes detected yet. "That was cute, Princess Sofia… Maybe the Ultimate Destruction Spell works on some of the weaker beings, but you seem to forget…" The dark entity slowly formed a fist, humming in pleasure as Sofia's breathing suddenly hitched and began slowing at an alarming rate. "I am evil in itself… And evil can't ever be fully destroyed."

"Release her!" Cedric ordered, blasting the being with his own wand, causing it to loosen its hold on her long enough for the sorcerer to grab the princess's hand and scoop her into his arms. "Sofia, wake up!"

Sofia remained quiet, her breathing shallow and her eyes closed.

"Sofia," he whispered, holding her closer as he pressed his forehead against hers. "Please…"

"Attack, my minions!" Malum In Se ordered, growling as it unleashed every evil being from the Never Realm into the new realm. "Leave none untouched! Slaughter! Kill! Destroy!"

With that, members of all the cults (the Knalchos, the Cainors, and the Darvintes), demons, restless spirits, and many others unleashed their wrath on everyone. No one was exempt from the danger.

A Cainor member sliced Madame Zenile's upper arm, causing her to cry out. The dark woman then got her second wind and blasted the cult member with her wand. She then ducked as Oniquela and Esme blasted another member, sending him flying over the older woman's head.

Quilor and Bonvis tag-teamed against another set of twins (from the Knalchos cult) and destroyed them on the spot, but they were knocked over and injured when a different member pinned them both to the ground with daggers to their arms and legs.

"Agh!" Bonvis groaned. "Quilor!" He looked to the side, noticing that his brother's eyes were glassy, and he didn't seem to be breathing. He then looked down a bit and noticed that another dagger had pierced his twin's heart. "NO!" He ripped the daggers from his own arms and legs in a rush of adrenaline, and snarling in rage, powered up before unleashing it on several evil beings at once, destroying them instantly.

Out of the portal next stepped a large, frightening-looking creature: with the head of a lion, the body of a bear, the strength of an ox, the speed of a cheetah, the venom of a scorpion or snake, the stealth of a leopard, and the howl of a wolf as it emitted a vocal screech, causing those from the Ever Realm to wince in pain.

"It's the Maloquith!" Malvino gasped.

"What is that?!" James asked, his mouth agape.

"It's bad," Desmond muttered to him. "I read about it in the _Ancient Book of Evil Lore_. It's said to have the sharpest teeth in the world, able to slice through bones with no trouble. And each tooth has venom in it, just in case the slicing doesn't take…"

The fighting around them continued, several already injured and knocked unconscious, including Malango the Magnanimous and Sir Langshire. Bonvis was in a state of shock over Quilor's death, and he wouldn't budge, even as Angel tried to pull him away.

"Leave me be!" the light-haired man snarled, knocking the Native boy aside.

Angel frowned, catching himself before he could fall. He knew not to push any further, though he was very concerned about the other magic wielder's state of mind, especially after having seen what he'd done to the others in his moment of anger and anguish.

"Angel, look out!"

He could barely react as Calista shoved him out of the way, just as the Maloquith reached her, using its powerful claws to dig into her back, causing her to gasp in pain. "CALISTA!" He gaped in shock as her limp body slid off the creature's claws and into his arms. He fell to the ground, the girl in his arms. "Calista, no!" He lowered her down, gently tracing his hands over her pale face. "Calista…?"

"MY BABY!" Cordelia screamed in devastation as her parents caught her before she could collapse.

Angel felt a surge of something building up within him as he watched his best friend struggling to survive. The sight of her weakened, barely breathing, blood seeping from her back and the corner of her mouth… All of this made something within him snap. Beyond enraged, the normally collected boy stood to his feet, pooling his own ancient magic in his hands, and yelled as he released it at the approaching Never Realm members. His dark eyes blazed as he watched them dissipate one by one. "For Calista," he whispered to himself, his magic still coursing through him and building up. He then aimed his hands toward the Maloquith, shouting out as he destroyed the monster entirely.

While the fighting carried on, Cedric gasped in surprise as Sofia finally opened her eyes, blinking up at him. "Sofia? You're all right!" He hugged her tighter, laughing in relief. He hadn't seen what had occurred with Calista since he'd been so preoccupied with the princess; had he, though, he would have probably completely lost it (much like Angel). "I thought I'd lost you…"

She smiled as she hugged him back. "You'll never lose me, remember? I promised you…"

Malum In Se growled lowly, angry that Cedric had intervened with his plan, and beyond irritated that all these magic wielders were destroying his followers. With everyone otherwise distracted, the dark being's eyes slowly began shimmering with an almost white fire to them. It crept along the expanse of the area and reached out, grasping Cedric's robe, with Sofia still in his grasp, and instantly attempted to get Cedric to look directly in its eyes so that it could kill the meddlesome sorcerer once and for all.

Sofia, realizing what was going on, jumped up with her back to the entity and her blue eyes boring into her friend's startled brown ones. "Don't look at it, Mr. Cedric," she reminded him.

"Look at me or I'll kill her!" Malum In Se roared.

"NO!" She reached out, grasping the sorcerer's face and locking her gaze with his intensely. "Don't listen, Mr. Cedric. Look at _me_. Keep your focus on _me_…"

Cedric smiled fondly at her, grasping her hands gently. "Always… You're the one person I will _never_ take my focus from."

Before she could construct a proper response, Sofia screamed in terror as Malum In Se grabbed her from Cedric's hold and wrapped a clawed hand around her neck. "Let me go!"

"Sofia!"

"SOFIA!" several others echoed as the princess was lifted into the air.

Nana, scared, managed to wriggle her way out of Desmond's hold, evading the protective butterflies, and hurried over toward Cedric. She stared after her guardian as the evil being held her, the princess blocking the entity's shining eyes.

"Say goodbye to your princess!" the demonic entity laughed.

While the others were screaming and panicking, Davina also managed to escape the protective butterflies and quickly moved over toward Nana. She grasped the smaller girl's hands, startling her. With a calm, knowing look on her young face, she gazed at the other little girl.

Nana, seeming to realize Davina's intent, tightened her hold on the other girl's hands.

And their interconnected hands began to glow…

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Heartfelt Words


	11. Heartfelt Words

Malum In Se

Summary: Sofia and her friends and family face their biggest challenge yet when the Never Realm rises up and unleashes the most dangerous magic wielders in the world. It's going to take the help of everyone, including some unexpected allies, to defeat the Never Realm and its most supreme evil being: Malum In Se.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Sofia the First_. However, I do own the Never Realm, Malum In Se, and several other OCs in here. Nana belongs to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: We will see a lot of things going on here yet again. We have already lost Quilor. Things are going to get pretty intense, so buckle up. Oh, and I do have a surprise that I think at least a few of you will be pleased to see close to the end of this story. It's been a long time coming. 😉 By the way, if you're a fluff-lover, just wait till chapter 12. ;p We're going to need some fluffiness by the time this chapter is over.

* * *

Chapter 11: Heartfelt Words

* * *

While everyone else was focused on trying to rescue Sofia (or helping others who were injured), Sir Finlay and Gabriella happened to notice that Davina and Nana were holding hands. At first they didn't think much of it, but then they noticed something rather peculiar.

"Their hands are glowing," Sir Finlay commented to his wife, his blue eyes narrowing in curiosity.

"What does that mean?" Gabriella wondered.

Lady Maeve, whose glasses were shattered and who now had a limp from the previous fighting, staggered over to them. Her gait might have been slower, but her wisdom still lingered, even as she informed them, "Davina is a Child of Light. The little one, Nana, is a Child of Darkness with a pure heart…" She smiled serenely as the girls remained focused with their eyes closed, the light between them growing stronger. "They were my prophecy."

Cedric, having heard this and breaking his focus from Sofia for just a moment, turned and was stunned to see his charge and Davina creating a powerful light between them. "It… It can't be…"

_When the darkness falls, the stars shine their brightest. Darkness can help the light, and light can help the darkness. A little light goes a long way, but the darkness can hide and shield you from the malevolence of the world. Let them work together, and you will be victorious."_

"They alone can defeat Malum In Se," Lady Maeve told the others. "They will, however, produce a very powerful reaction, so my advice is to find cover; for when they release their powers, it will be impossible to escape. Even the good may fall…because both Light _and_ Dark are working together."

"Cordelia," Greylock called as he and Ivy stood. Seeing he had his old friend's attention, he nodded toward her. "Let's shield the children and the others."

Cordelia glanced back toward Angel, who was tenderly nursing his best friend. "Angel?"

"I will take care of her, Ms. Cordelia," he told her softly. "I promise you." He used his own magic, allowing it to pour from his fingers and trail deftly along the fallen sorceress's back, healing her wounds little by little as she slept.

Cordelia nodded with a soft shudder before withdrawing her wand. "All right, Greylock." Together, she and the other sorcerer formed a magical shield, covering the children and as many others as possible, especially those who were injured—including her own daughter and Angel, Greylock, and herself.

The only ones left out of the shield right now were Davina and Nana, Cedric, Sofia, and Malum In Se. Ivy sent some of her dragonflies and butterflies toward Malum In Se to distract it, but rather than accomplishing her goal, she only seemed to agitate the evil being more.

Malum In Se laughed darkly as its grip tightened around Sofia's neck, causing her to scream in pain.

"Sofia!" Cedric called, clambering to his feet and readying to push himself toward the beast to rescue his partner, when he felt someone hold him back. He whirled around, seeing Merlin glaring at him and tightening his hold on him. "Merlin, please, release me!"

"And have you run to your death?" the old wizard challenged. "Every time the princess is in danger, you react carelessly. I realize you care a great deal for her, but those feelings shouldn't make you completely daft. If you go racing to save her now, with everything going on, _you_ will die." He gestured toward the two young girls, who were still concentrating. "Lady Maeve's prophecy is these two. Let them do what they have to do!"

Cedric watched as Davina was covered in a white glow while Nana was covered in a black one. "The Light and the Dark," he mumbled, repeating what he'd heard. He gasped as Greylock created a new shield, covering both Cedric and Merlin. "NO! What about Sofia?!"

"Trust in the girls," Vega told him gently.

"Perhaps they have the ability to save us all," Orion echoed, wincing as he felt several feathers missing from his wings.

"It looks like they're our only choice," Dante mumbled, groaning as he held onto his side, where there was a gash after a cult member had stabbed him earlier, ripping through his clothing.

The others behind the shields watched in awe as the two little girls opened their eyes simultaneously, their powers having grown exponentially, and their hands completely obscured by their combined glowing light. It appeared that Sofia had passed out from her own pain and was still gripped by the evil entity.

Davina smiled calmly toward Nana, who hesitated before returning the smile and nodding. They each released one hand and turned, holding their palms out toward Malum In Se, who growled at their insolence.

"If you little pests think you'll destroy me, you're sadly mistaken!" the being growled as it prepared to release one final strike against the princess. "And here lies Princess Sofia of Enchancia!"

"I don't think so," Davina spoke clearly, sounding far older than she was, stunning those around her as she closed her eyes. "_Cordis Luminis! Lux Mundi_!"

The glow overtook both girls and the entire realm, practically blinding those nearby.

Malum In Se growled and glared daggers at Nana, who stared the being down without fear. Its glowing lights didn't affect her due to her origins, and it realized this far too late. "No!" It yelled in anger as the light consumed it. "NO!"

The light engulfed everything and everyone, and soon there was nothing but white.

* * *

Cedric sat up, holding one hand to his head and groaning in pain. His entire body hurt at that point, and he found it difficult to open his eyes. After giving himself a few moments to adjust, he finally blinked and looked around. "We're in the throne room," he realized, frowning. He gasped, looking around. "Sofia?!"

"She's over here," Roland called from near his throne, helping the bruised and injured princess into a sitting position. He sighed as the sorcerer hurried over to them, settling by his friend's side. "Cedric, I'm going to help James and Desmond retrieve the others from below the castle. Can you help heal her?"

"Of course, King Roland," Cedric responded softly as the princess was shifted from the king's hold to his own. "Of course…" As Roland, Desmond, and James hurried out of the room, he watched his partner's face for a few moments, noticing she was still passed out, but she was breathing. She was alive. "Sofia…"

Sir Finlay scooped up an exhausted Davina into his arms, sighing in relief as she rested her head against his shoulder. "My little angel…"

Sapphire hurried up to them, hugging Sir Finlay's legs and crying. "Is she okay, Papa?" she asked frantically. "Davi?"

The silver-haired sorcerer smiled fondly at his older daughter. "She'll be just fine, Sapphire."

Nana stood in the center of the room, seemingly untouched by the recent events. But she saw so much pain, so much suffering, so much…devastation. She wanted to make it right… Without a second thought, she closed her eyes and concentrated her own powers, gathering everything into the palms of her hands.

"What is she doing?" Malango the Magnanimous wondered as he helped Sir Ignacio to his feet.

"I…don't know," Lady Maeve responded, lost for once.

Nana produced a small magenta ball of pure light, and she opened her eyes, tossing the ball of light into the air. With her hands still glowing, she spread her arms as the glowing ball morphed into a giant magical circle that spanned around everyone in the throne room.

Cedric gasped as he looked up before looking back at the little girl. "Nana…"

One by one, small pink petals began trickling from the magical circle, surrounding any and all who were injured. Once the petals touched them, they were instantly healed.

"Ugh, Mr. Cedric?" Sofia asked groggily as she opened her eyes, blinking as her partner gasped sharply, looking back at her with a surprised expression. "What's going on?"

"Sofia? Sofia!" He pulled her into a hug, sighing against her hair as he held her close, caressing her back and hair in the process. "I was so worried…"

She smiled gently and weakly returned his hug. "I…promised. _You _promised…" She looked up as she felt the petals falling on both of them, healing them of any injuries or pain. "What's going on?"

"Nana." Cedric pointed toward their charge, whose glowing light had begun to dissipate. "Nana!" He gently released Sofia before hurrying over to the strawberry child, who had overexerted herself and had collapsed to the floor. He picked her up and rocked her gently, smiling in relief as those large green eyes opened and a small, satisfied smile played on her lips. "You scared me, you know." He caressed his nose against hers, causing her to giggle tiredly. "I know you want to save the world, my little one, but you don't have to do it alone."

Nana smiled and nodded. She sighed happily as Sofia hurried over to them, hugging them both.

"I love you both so much," Sofia told them, sighing in relief. She kissed Nana's forehead. "Nana, you saved us…" She smiled gently as the little one became shy all of a sudden. "Our little heroine."

"Looks like there's some fly cakes in it for you, little one," Cedric chuckled, watching in amusement as the little girl lit up excitedly.

Wormwood flew over and landed on Nana's head, causing the child to giggle. "Nice job, little fruit baby."

"Where have you been, Wormy?" Cedric asked, somewhat irritated. "We were in dire need of any form of help."

"I figured snarky comebacks only work on villain wannabes rather than real evil, so I sort of…stayed with Sapphire and the other children…to guard them, of course." He preened his feathers for a moment before clearing his throat. "I'm…glad to see you all back to your typically disgustingly happy selves."

Sofia smirked at him. "We love you too, Wormwood."

Angel sighed in relief as Calista slowly sat up, her eyes gradually focusing and a smile forming on her face as she saw him. "Calista…"

"Angel…" She gasped as he hugged her tightly. "Angel?"

"You saved me," he murmured softly, reality finally crashing down on him as a few tears streaked down his face. "I do not know what I would do if you were to…"

The young sorceress returned his hug before gazing up at him as he released her. "I'm never going to leave you, Angel… Not after all we've been through at this point." She reached up and wiped his tears away. "And I think it's time I'm honest with myself…and you." She leaned forward and kissed him once on the lips, smiling as he blushed. "Being your friend has been absolutely amazing, but if you don't mind, I'd really like to pursue something new and exciting with you…as your girlfriend, perhaps?"

Angel, finally snapping out of his dazed state, just smiled happily at her. "Of course, my _Chante_… I would love nothing more." He cleared his throat as he heard Cordelia squealing. "Um… If your mother is all right with that, of course."

"I will finally have grandchildren!" Cordelia sang before glaring at the two blushing teens. "But not too soon. More like in the next ten years or so after you finish your schooling, my dear daughter… And after the glorious wedding I will help you prepare, of course. And I think you should have at _least_ four children. After all, you were an only child, Calista. You should _really_ consider breaking that cycle." She grinned at her daughter, who looked petrified. "The more, the merrier!"

Calista balked at her mother's statement as Angel hid his face in embarrassment. "MUM!"

Goodwyn and Winifred exchanged knowing glances before chuckling softly together.

Roland, James, and Desmond soon returned with the others, and the Protectors gave the all-clear for everyone to return to their homes.

"What about the explosions we heard outside?" Ruby asked dubiously, folding her arms.

"Yes," Marla agreed, her hands on her hips. "From the sounds we heard, I thought they had destroyed the entire kingdom."

"It was an illusion," Merlin explained. "You'll find that pure evil tends to do things like that to mess with your mind and your emotions. They can't fight a strong enemy; they prefer a weak and shaken one."

"Does this mean that the Never Realm was defeated?" Amber asked in astonishment as she held Desmond's hand. "That there's no more evil?"

"I wish I could verify that, Princess Amber," Orion told her solemnly. "But the fact is, evil comes in many shapes and sizes. You may defeat one type, such as the Never Realm, only for another to arise. It's never truly gone. But we will always fight against it, because the good should always outweigh the bad."

While everyone was beginning to depart, the Protectors helped Bonvis with Quilor's body and promised him a proper sendoff.

Sofia turned as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She smiled gently as Lady Maeve knelt beside them. "Mr. Cedric told me that Nana and Davina were part of the prophecy you had…"

"They _were_ the prophecy," the woman corrected. "And now with the Never Realm destroyed, your little Nana is officially freed of the dark magic that made her. She is still fated to remain as she is for now though: tiny, with healing powers, and unable to age or speak."

"It seems so unfair," Cedric sighed as he patted his charge's back as she was now sleeping. "Is there anything that can be done to change that?"

"I'm afraid you are asking the wrong person. Anything is possible, my friends, but right now, I would suggest focusing on what's most important." With nothing else to say, she gestured toward the sleeping girl. She then stood and turned to Sir Finlay and Gabriella. "If it is all right with the two of you, I would like to train Davina in the art of Light Magic in Reimagia when she's older." She smiled as Davina sat up and turned to face her. "When she is ready."

Sir Finlay glanced toward Gabriella, who hesitated for a moment before nodding. "I think that would be wonderful."

Gabriella frowned as Davina then turned to her. "Davina, how did you know the correct words to recite to beat the evil?"

Davina just smiled mysteriously and held a hand to her chest. "My heart."

To be continued…

Next Chapter: A Familiar Rhythm


	12. A Familiar Rhythm

Malum In Se

Summary: Sofia and her friends and family face their biggest challenge yet when the Never Realm rises up and unleashes the most dangerous magic wielders in the world. It's going to take the help of everyone, including some unexpected allies, to defeat the Never Realm and its most supreme evil being: Malum In Se.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Sofia the First_. However, I do own the Never Realm, Malum In Se, and several other OCs in here. Nana belongs to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: Wrap-up time! We've got fluff in this chapter… Seriously. It's so fluffy that Agnes will probably think it's even fluffier than her unicorn. ;p Props to anyone who gets that. Haha. 😊 Also! I changed my mind. I will not wait until December to release "Heartsong," because one, that's just too far away, and two, I just want to write. Lol! Meanwhile, there are four new stories in the works (two were ideas from Mr. Shortman92 quite some time ago that I had to put off for a while), so yeah. The story after "Heartsong" will be similar to AIM but will have a little bit of a different feeling to it. THAT will make sense once "Heartsong" is over. :D I guess I can put it this way: the adventure continues, even if things aren't quite the same. With that said, hope you enjoy the last chapter! Thanks for reading and reviewing, and for being so patient with my long writing gap. O.o Haha

* * *

Chapter 12: A Familiar Rhythm

* * *

While the villagers and most of the visiting magical aids had returned to their own kingdoms or realms, a few had stayed behind another day just to help make the transition back to "normal" easier. Dexter and Brexley in particular had remained, especially after Brexley and Nana had taken a liking to each other. In fact, Brexley had taught Nana some sign language to help her communicate with her guardians (mostly simple things, of course), and the pink-haired girl had definitely picked it up rather easily.

Sir Finlay and his family had also stayed behind, as had Greylock and his family. They were able to have a nice visit and a healthy conversation, rather than worry about the impending doom they'd been faced with the past several days. And it had been nice.

But now, the Enchancian castle was back to normal. Things had been repaired. People had been treated and healed. Routines had been reestablished… It was like nothing had ever happened, and in a way, that's how many liked it. Now they could focus on the most important thing: Amber's and Desmond's upcoming wedding, which would take place in only a matter of _days_. It was no longer 'such a long way away.' It was practically within grasping distance.

* * *

_Today_ was a day to relax. As the tower was drafty due to the weather, and since fresh snow had fallen, Cedric had suggested they relocate to an empty common room. It was fairly large and decorated for Wassailia already. There was a roaring fire in the hearth, above which hung a thick strand of garland.

Nana was sitting on the plush dark blue rug in front of the fireplace and was playing a game of cards with Wormwood, who was attempting to explain the game as they went. Surprisingly, he'd been rather successful, because the little girl seemed to be picking up on the moves more easily.

Wormwood's beak dropped as he saw Nana grinning at him, her cards displayed before her. "You had a warlock _and_ two witches? Are you certain you're not cheating, young lady?"

She giggled and shook her head.

While they were playing, Sofia was reclining against the edge of a long brown sofa, a book in her left hand while she used her right hand to play with Cedric's hair. He was currently lying on the sofa, his head in his partner's lap (at her behest, no less, after he'd pulled an all-nighter the previous evening and was not functioning well: "You're clearly exhausted. Lie down already, or I'll have to knock you out. Don't think I won't."). Who was he to argue? He _was_ tired.

Wormwood rolled his eyes after having glanced at the partners. "They're so boring," he complained, causing the little strawberry girl to grin. "Not to mention disgustingly mushy. The most exciting thing I've heard is Sofia threatening to hit him, and I'm sure even that would be with a stuffed animal or something."

"If it makes you feel better, Wormwood," Sofia began with a slightly miffed tone as she reached up and turned a page before returning her hand to Cedric's hair, "if I were to hit _you_, it would be with a flightless spell."

He gaped at her. "What are you saying? You'd turn me into a penguin?"

Sofia grinned as she lowered the book. "Or an ostrich."

"Ostriches are the most awkward-looking birds in existence!"

She snickered before looking back at her book. "Then that's my kind of revenge. Seeing an 'awkward' Wormwood would be interesting."

The raven scoffed as he gathered the cards, shuffling them with his talons as he hovered midair. "Speaking of awkward ostriches, you might want to wake Cedric up already. He's been sleeping for three hours."

"Good," the princess sighed. "It's about time."

* * *

After a while, during another game between Nana and Wormwood, Cedric yawned and opened his eyes, slowly sitting up on the sofa next to Sofia. "How long was I asleep?"

"Two years," Wormwood remarked as he tossed a card to Nana, who picked it up. "Here's an update: Prince Desmond and Princess Amber are now married with two sets of triplets: Johan, Horace, Sara, Helena, Marvin, and Brunilda. The kingdom changed its name to Crownicus. And you now have more gray hair than Baileywick, who quit to pursue his dream of interpretive dance."

Cedric narrowed his eyes at the smirking bird before sighing. "A simple 'few hours' would have sufficed, you wretched raven."

"More like four hours," Sofia corrected with an amused smile as she placed a bookmark in her book and set it aside. "But you needed it."

"Hmm." He nodded. "I had a dream that a mysterious woman flipped our entire world upside down and showed us a place called 'Backwards Land.' Or something…" He shook his head as the princess gave him a skeptical look. "Sounds silly, but maybe it's just because I was so tired."

Sofia smiled. "Yeah, I know that's when I usually have _my_ strangest dreams. But now that you're awake, what would you like to do?"

"Hmm." He smiled in return before standing up and offering a hand to her, chuckling as she blinked and accepted it. He pulled her to her feet.

"What are you doing?"

"Well, need I remind you that there is a wedding we must attend in a few days? And I'm quite certain that we need to practice dancing once again, since I'm sure you and I will end up in one."

She grinned as he pulled her closer, preparing their positions. "Or two, or three, or ten…"

"Now you're pushing it, my dear." He glanced down toward Wormwood, who was making gagging noises. "Wormy, be useful and sing a song so that we can have music to dance by."

Wormwood offered the sorcerer a sarcastic look before singing sarcastically, "Tale as old as time, I hate stinking rhymes, princess and the awkward ostrich."

Sofia couldn't help breaking into laughter, burying her head into Cedric's robe and snickering. He clearly didn't get the joke, but she did, and she found it strangely funny.

Cedric deadpanned at the raven. "Wormy, you're fired."

"Oh, no. However will I go on?" Wormwood smirked as he and Nana started up a new game.

Sofia smiled as she shook her head, pulling out her wand. "I'll handle this." With a flick of her wrist, some magical music filled the room. She returned the wand to her dress pocket before resuming her position. "Where were we?"

Cedric just smiled before commencing a dance with her.

It was wonderful to have a lighthearted feeling for the first time in a long time. Between the snowfall, the peacefulness, and the music, they finally had just what they needed.

And the countdown to the wedding began…

The end (and to be continued in "Heartsong")


End file.
